


how good are you at keeping secrets?

by ur_fav_mess



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Danny Fenton Has Issues, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, love us some trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:08:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26944201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ur_fav_mess/pseuds/ur_fav_mess
Summary: He’s fifteen.god.These thoughts race through Lancer’s mind in ten seconds, new information clicking and he’s almost mad that he didn’t see it before, didn’t notice the parallels, didn’t notice this poorkid, he’s just a kid, having to face actual, horrible monsters all on his own.“Fuck.” Lancer agrees.
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Jack Fenton & Maddie Fenton, Danny Fenton & Jazz Fenton, Danny Fenton & Mr. Lancer, Danny Fenton & Tucker Foley & Sam Manson
Comments: 48
Kudos: 601





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> alright so this might be multi-chap? idk i'll see based on the feedback this gets lol also i have not finished danny phantom i'm sorry i just really like his character so i apologize if things r not canon-compliant lmao

Lancer huffs impatiently and glances to his watch, tucking his hands deeper into his coat. He’s been standing out in the cold for a good ten minutes now, and there’s been no sign of the Fentons. He knocks yet again, unsurprised yet still annoyed when nobody comes to open the door. 

He figures there must be a ghost attack somewhere in town, and he’ll have to just wait until the Fentons finish up and come back to the house. Lancer sighs and sits down on the front step, preparing himself for another twenty minutes of cold boredom. 

He doesn’t really want to be here, anyway. He’s being incredibly accommodating to go all the way to the Fenton’s house for what should be a simple parent-teacher conference. But the Fenton’s schedule is about as weird as their work, and Danny admittedly requires more attention than others. Not that the kid particularly seems to want it. 

In truth, Lancer thinks his grades are decent. They’d dropped drastically a few months back, but then again, there was an adjustment period for everyone after the town became ghost infested. Besides, since then, they’d made a slow rise and now sit in the stable C range. However, his behavior is something else. Danny has always been quiet and shy, but lately it seems worse. He’s exhausted and sullen, and Lancer swears that sometimes the kid walks with a limp or favors one arm over the other. He’s not exactly sure what’s going on, but years as a teacher makes it difficult to keep from jumping to conclusions after what he’s seen. 

And waiting for half an hour in the cold on the Fenton’s front step isn’t doing any favors for his opinion on them. 

Lancer stands, ready to brush the meeting off completely and reschedule. He slips his hand into his pocket and fumbles for his keys-

Green streaks across the sky, and Lancer gasps as the distinct sound of a window shattering echoes through the Fenton’s home. There’s a scream, and then a loud thud, followed by the crashing sound of furniture, accompanied with one last thump. Lancer’s eyes widen, and he tries the doorknob to find it, strangely, unlocked. 

Lancer moves deeper into the house, concern stealing any time he has to dwell on it. He’s almost immediately blinded by green light, harsh and bright against the pitch black of the house. Lancer freezes, watering eyes glued to the person just ahead. 

Gleaming white hair, black latex suit, piercing green eyes. Phantom. Lancer has never seen him this close up before. 

What in the world is he doing at the Fenton’s house?

Before Lancer can voice his question, the silence of the house is broken by a low moan, then a soft thump as Phantom slides down against the wall, hand pressed to his side. 

In his surprise, Lancer hadn’t noticed the ghost’s injuries. His side is dripping ectoplasm all over his suit and the floor. The kid groans when he notices the green sinking into the carpet, shifting in a way to keep the blood off the carpet in a gesture that is so strangely familiar that it makes Lancer’s heart twist. 

Suddenly, Jasmine comes sprinting out of the hall, skidding to a stop on her knees right in front of Phantom. She looks more disheveled than Lancer has ever seen her. Her red hair is tied back messily, loose strands escaping to stick to her cheeks. Dirt is smeared across her t-shirt, and through the rips in her jeans Lancer can see blood. There’s a sharp red line right beneath her eye, but she wipes the blood away, irritated, her focus entirely pinned on Phantom. 

Lancer suddenly feels like he’s intruding when Jasmine gently brushes the hair off Phantom’s forehead, thumbs green liquid off his cheek. For a moment Lancer wonders if they’re dating-it would explain what Phantom was doing in the house. 

But something about that doesn’t seem quite right. The way Jasmine’s lips purse seems more motherly than anything. He’s seen her give the same look to Danny a thousand times. 

Lancer is brought out of his thoughts when a choked sob escapes Phantom. 

Now he definitely feels like he’s intruding. 

Part of him tells him to get out while he still can, that this is private, bigger than he could even hope to understand. The other part, though, reminds him that these are kids and one of them is bleeding all over the carpet. 

Well, Jasmine is definitely a kid. Lancer isn’t positive how age and ghosts work, but the snarkiness he’s seen in Phantom is a perfect match to half the teenagers in his class. 

He quietly backs further into the blackness of the house, hesitant to stay, hesitant to go. 

“Hey, it’s okay. I’ve got some pain meds right here.” Jasmine soothes, quickly taking six little white pills into her palm. 

That seems like a lot. Ghosts need pain medication?

Phantom shakes his head, shoulders trembling from how hard he’s keeping his tears back. 

“N-no, s’not that. It hurts, but…” Phantom trails off, face falling. 

“Jazz, I c-can’t do this anymore. She keeps saying I’m an imitation, a monster. That my feelings aren’t real, that I- _I’m_ not real. I can’t- I _can’t_ , Jazz, I-”

Jasmine wraps her arms around Phantom, and he buries his face in her neck. His hiccuping sobs echo throughout the house, the only reprieve being the undercurrent of Jasmine’s hushed reassurances. 

Who was the ‘she’ Phantom spoke of? His words had reminded Lancer of one of the Fenton’s many lectures on ghost safety. 

_they don’t have feelings. they’re like echoes, imitations. they’re selfish, and nothing they do is what it seems. there is always an ulterior motive. yes, even with phantom. next question?_

Maddie Fenton’s words echo in Lancer’s head as he watches Phantom cry in Jasmine’s arms. It’s difficult to think this is just an act when Phantom’s sobs are so heart wrenching and genuine. 

If Maddie Fenton was the ‘she’ he was referring to, why did her words affect him so? Before today, Lancer had assumed that the only interactions between the Fentons and Phantom were when they both happened to show up to fight a ghost, and the aftermath when one or both of the Fentons would attempt to capture Phantom. He knows they aren’t exactly enemies, per se, but they definitely aren’t friends. Why would the words of a woman who was constantly threatening to dissect him hurt him to the point of tears?

Lancer’s train of thought is broken when Jasmine shifts Phantom upwards, trying to get a look at the wound still sluggishly bleeding on his abdomen. 

“Shit.” Phantom gasps, voice wet and broken. 

He presses his hands harder to the wound, groaning at the green blood across the carpet. 

“How are we gonna explain that?” he says. 

“Don’t worry about the carpet, Danny. Let’s focus on fixing your side.” 

Danny? Lancer momentarily wonders if it’s strange for her to call him her brother’s name. Come to think of it, up close, Phantom bears a passing resemblance to Danny Fenton. 

He’s never really thought about it before, but it is a little strange that they share a first name. 

Lancer shakes himself from his thoughts again, focusing on the two teens. Jasmine has cut some of Phantom’s suit away, and is cleaning out the cut with far too much expertise for someone so young. Phantom winces, but stays relatively still, always ready and compliant when Jasmine asks him to turn or hand her more gauze. 

This feels familiar. Practiced, as if the pair have done it a thousand times. Lancer feels a little sick. 

“I think this needs stitches.” Jasmine murmurs, brow furrowed. 

Phantom’s jaw flexes. 

“Okay.” 

Phantom stares at the floor while Jasmine carefully threads a needle, pulls out a lighter to sterilize it. Her hands are frighteningly still and calm as she pushes it into Phantom’s skin. He winces, but he’s as still as she is as she quickly pulls the skin back together in neat, careful stitches. 

Phantom lets his head fall back against the wall. He looks to Jasmine miserably, guilt and pain etched deep into his face. 

“‘m sorry you have to do all of this for me.” he whispers, voice trembling. 

Jasmine softens, takes his face in one hand. What she says next is so soft Lancer is sure he’s heard her wrong. 

“You’re my brother. I”m always gonna help you, whether it’s with school or stitches.” 

_you’re my brother._

Unexplained injuries stretching across months, starting right about when Phantom appeared. Jasmine’s sudden, fierce defensiveness over Phantom, even when it means fighting her parents. The way Sam and Tucker are so much more secretive, now. So much more tightly knit with Danny. Apart from it all, as if they know something nobody else does. 

They do. 

Lancer can’t keep the gasp from escaping. Phantom-Danny-flinches, head snapping up, green eyes painful in their gleaming intensity. 

_“Fuck.”_ he swears emphatically, voice cracked with hysteria. 

For a moment, Lancer’s only thought is to chide him about his language. He nearly laughs at the absurdity of such a thought, the absurdity of it all. 

Danny. Danny is Phantom. Phantom, the ghost who Lancer has seen fight opponents more than three times his size. Phantom, who bleeds green blood and can go invisible at a moments notice. Phantom, the ghost who has inexplicably devoted every hour to protecting townspeople who often treat him worse than the dirt beneath their shoes. 

Phantom. A teenage kid whose voice still cracks, who had been sobbing in his older sister’s arms only moments ago, who has only just had a growth spurt and now seems apologetic for every inch of extra space he takes up. 

A kid who’s forced to put his safety on the line every day. Bones broken. Claws and teeth ripping open skin that Lancer now realizes is human. 

He’s fifteen. 

_god._

These thoughts race through Lancer’s mind in ten seconds, new information clicking and he’s almost mad that he didn’t see it before, didn’t notice the parallels, didn’t notice this poor _kid, he’s just a kid,_ having to face actual, horrible monsters all on his own. 

“Fuck.” Lancer agrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ty for reading! i will be continuing this fic (this is edited from the first time i posted it) hopefully w/ more regular updates as well lmao


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lancer doesn’t skip. He’s a good teacher, and one life changing experience isn’t going to make him forego his duties as such. 
> 
> He begins to wonder if this was the best idea when one Danny Fenton walks through his door and he can’t quite keep the yelp from escaping him.

The house is completely silent, silent enough for the ectoplasm rushing in Danny’s ears to be deafening. Any other time he’d be embarrassed at his instinctive grab for Jazz’s hand, but through the pain and adrenaline and horror he’s giving himself a break. Jazz squeezes back, moves protectively in front of him. Danny might be the one with ghost powers, but he’s got nothing on Jazz when she’s angry. 

“What are you doing here?” she says, incredulous. 

Danny could ask the same question if he weren’t sure his voice would crack and fall. 

“I-parent-teacher conference.” Lancer responds dumbly. 

Danny can see Jazz’s jaw flex. Her hand tightens on his. 

“You can’t tell anybody.” Danny blurts. 

His face flushes at the waver in his voice, the desperation. Lancer’s eyes shift from Jazz to Danny, and he shrinks under his teacher’s gaze before straightening and fixing him with his best glare. 

“I’m serious. If you tell anybody, people could get hurt.” he says. 

“Do your parents know?” Lancer asks. 

Danny stares at him. He knows Lancer isn’t stupid, but that’s probably the dumbest question the man has ever asked. 

“Are you kidding? No way. And it’s going to stay that way.” Danny says, unable to keep the edge of panic out of his voice. 

“But you-you’re just a kid. Fuck, you’re Phantom. You’ve been running around fighting ghosts all night and you’re fifteen and your parents don’t know?” 

“If they knew, my mom would strap me to a table and dissect me.” Danny says, voice trembling. 

Lancer shakes his head, opens his mouth, closes it. The fact that Jazz doesn’t argue his point makes Danny’s throat close up a little. 

“You need to go.” Danny says. “My parents will be home soon, and I need to get all this ectoplasm off the carpet before they do. Just don’t tell anyone, okay?” 

Danny begins to herd Lancer out the front door, Jazz moving ahead to open it for them. 

“What? Danny, I can’t just go. You’re bleeding out, this is serious. And your parents don’t even know, just-you’re just a kid.” Lancer rambles. 

“I’ve had worse, this is fine. Just go.” Danny begs. 

Lancer looks like he wants to argue. Danny is terrified he’ll insist on staying, on helping, on talking to his parents. 

Jazz pushes him out onto the front step and closes the door. They wait there, silent, listening as Lancer’s footsteps eventually sound down the driveway and his engine starts. 

Danny lets out a shaking breath, and Jazz puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

“We’ll deal with that tomorrow, okay? Let’s focus on getting you cleaned up.” Jazz says. 

Danny tries to even his breathing. “Yeah. Okay. And the carpet.” 

Jazz softens and smiles, giving him a look of fond exasperation that makes him feel like a little kid again. 

“And the carpet.” 

Danny hides a yawn and leans forward to rest his head on the table, the cool metal soothing to the headache that has been steadily growing throughout the morning. Fingers thread through his hair, and the comforting touch makes it difficult to keep his eyes open. 

After spending a half hour scrubbing ectoplasm out of the carpet, Jazz had urged Danny to go to bed and let her worry about the broken window and table. Whatever she must've told their parents worked, because no questions were asked at the table that morning (folding table, that is). For all Danny pretends his know it all sister gets on his nerves, he can't imagine doing this without her. 

“Danny? You okay?” 

Sam’s voice is soft under the chatter of the cafeteria, and Danny hums to avoid having to use energy to open his mouth. 

“Are you still worried about Lancer?” Tucker asks. 

Danny’s stomach tightens in anxiety, and he groans. He lifts his head from the table, squinting at the change in light. 

“You think?” 

Tucker rolls his eyes and sets his fork down. 

“Sorry, sorry. But look, it'll be okay. You have us on your side, and if Lancer spills the beans, it's important to remember you do have ghost powers. AKA, the ability to beat him up.”

Some of the tension in Danny’s shoulders escapes and he smiles at his friend. 

“Really good advice, man.”

Tucker grins. “I try. Seriously, though, we've got your back.” 

Sam nods in agreement. “Yeah, dude. What's one teacher against a-well, _you _?”__

__“I know, I know. I'm just scared that he'll tell everybody. Mostly I'm scared he'll tell my parents.”_ _

__Sam sighs, chews on her lip. “Lancer can be an asshole, but he’s not stupid. Even if he were, everyone in town knows how your parents feel about Phantom.”_ _

__Danny nods. “Yeah. Okay.”_ _

__“And if he says anything, nobody will believe him. Your family is known for being against ghosts, and he doesn’t have any proof.” Tucker adds._ _

__“That’s true. I’ll just have to be extra careful from now on so he doesn’t get any.”_ _

__“Or you could just hit him over the head really hard and see if he gets memory loss.” Sam mutters._ _

__“I worry your motives are directed more towards your last grade in that class than the real issue here.”_ _

__They both laugh, and Danny puts his head back down on his desk, trying and failing to ignore the iron fist clenching around his stomach._ _

__

__Lancer doesn’t skip. He’s a good teacher, and one life changing experience isn’t going to make him forego his duties as such._ _

__He begins to wonder if this was the best idea when one Danny Fenton walks through his door and he can’t quite keep the yelp from escaping him._ _

__To his credit, Danny looks relatively normal-ripped jeans, dark hair falling into his eyes, bag hanging off one shoulder. He gives Lancer a look that’s desperate and pleading and horrified all at once before his expression smooths and he takes his usual seat._ _

__Sam and Tucker are close behind him, each giving Lancer a look that clearly states _careful. we know. _____

____If it were any other day and Lancer were any other person, he wouldn’t have noticed the way Danny smothered a wince when he sat down. He wouldn’t have noticed the circles beneath the kid’s eyes, the slight bruising across his knuckles when he picks up his pencil._ _ _ _

____But Danny is Danny and Lancer is Lancer and he seriously doubts the image of Danny doubled over his own green blood will leave him anytime soon._ _ _ _

____He spends a long moment staring at the kid, wondering how he’s at school right now considering the shape he was in last night, wondering how his stitches are. Where did Jazz learn? How many times have they done it before? What exactly is he supposed to do with this information?_ _ _ _

____His thoughts are broken when Sam clears her throat._ _ _ _

____She’s slouched back in her seat, and although her face carries the same disinterested expression as usual, her eyes are calculating, hard._ _ _ _

____“Are you gonna start class or are we going to have to call child protective services?”_ _ _ _

____Danny groans, covering his face with a hand, and Lancer frowns at Sam while the rest of the class tries to hide their laughter._ _ _ _

____“Sorry. I, uh- was just thinking about the parent teacher conference I had yesterday. It went really well. Danny. In case you were wondering.”_ _ _ _

____Danny stares at him. Lancer closes his eyes, internally cringing._ _ _ _

____“Okay! Let’s talk about those essays.”_ _ _ _

____Years as a teacher has given Lancer, if nothing else, the ability to talk out of his ass. He drones on about run on sentences and quote limitations and works cited while his mind drags his attention to Danny every free second he gets._ _ _ _

____Last night, he’d sat in shock for a good two hours, then finally, robotically, climbed into bed. His mind had decided the best move to make was to push everything down and let instinct take over. The same went for this morning, and the same went for every class period before this one. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to think?_ _ _ _

____It was weird enough having to live in a town half populated by ghosts. It was especially weird to have a self appointed superhero who was also a ghost who flew around and fought them. And it was weird enough to make Lancer want to quit and move to the Bahamas that a student in his class happened to be said superhero._ _ _ _

____As Lancer talks, he begins to make connections his brain kept him from making earlier. The walls come down now that Danny is sitting right in front of him, making it impossible to push the new information aside._ _ _ _

____By the end of the period, he thinks he’s figured out nearly the exact date Danny became-a superhero? a ghost? he’s still a little fuzzy on that part-along with tests and homework to be bookmarked so he can boost his grade. He won’t boost everything-that wouldn’t be fair. But he also would argue that fair doesn’t really apply to Danny’s situation, and if it does, there would be a striking ‘un’ in front of it._ _ _ _

____The bell rings. Students stand, yawn, chatter to classmates and pull their bookbags onto their shoulders._ _ _ _

____For once Lancer is grateful for his student’s short attention spans as he realizes he has no idea what he’d just lectured about for the past hour._ _ _ _

____“Fenton! Hold on a second.”_ _ _ _

____Danny freezes. Lancer startles a little as well, almost surprised as the kid by this request. He shakes his head before beckoning Danny to his desk._ _ _ _

____Sam and Tucker pause by the door, eyes darting between Lancer and Danny, who smiles weakly at his friends._ _ _ _

____“It’s alright, guys. I’ll see you next period.”_ _ _ _

____“You’re sure?” Sam says._ _ _ _

____Living in a town of ghosts means Lancer doesn’t scare too easy, but he’s not ashamed to admit he shudders a little at the look in Sam’s eyes._ _ _ _

____Eventually, the pair leave, and Lancer waits until their footsteps have faded down the hallway to shut the door._ _ _ _

____He turns back to Danny, who looks incredibly uncomfortable and panicked. Lancer, who also happens to be slightly uncomfortable, sits on the edge of his desk and searches for the right words which, very possibly, do not happen to exist._ _ _ _

____Before he can think of anything, Danny opens his mouth. For a moment, Lancer is reminded of the night before: the paleness to Danny’s face almost matches his ghost form._ _ _ _

____“I’m sorry!” he says._ _ _ _

____Lancer’s brow furrows. “What?”_ _ _ _

____“I didn’t mean for you to see what happened. I know-I know I made things a lot more complicated. But please, you can’t tell anyone. Just forget you saw it! It’ll be so much easier.” Danny pleads._ _ _ _

____“Slow down, Danny. You know I’m not mad at you, right? And I’m not going to tell anyone.”_ _ _ _

____Again, Lancer surprises himself at this admission. He realizes it’s true, though; if Danny’s parents weren’t Danny’s parents, he’d tell them in a heartbeat._ _ _ _

____But Danny’s parents are Danny’s parent. They’re dangerous, and Lancer has seen close up how much they want to get their hands on Phantom and dissect him._ _ _ _

____He can’t imagine what the kid has been through._ _ _ _

____“I just...I just wanted to tell you that. That your secret is safe with me. And that if you ever need any help from an adult and not a couple teenagers, I’m always here.”_ _ _ _

____Danny stutters, opening and closing his mouth. Finally, he snaps it shut and looks at the floor._ _ _ _

____“Thank you. I don’t need help, though. It’s dangerous.” he murmurs._ _ _ _

____“I know, and that’s exactly why you do need help. I know you’re a-ghost?-now, but that doesn’t mean you’re not still a kid.”_ _ _ _

____Danny shrugs a shoulder stubbornly, and Lancer has to resist the urge to roll his eyes._ _ _ _

____“I’m serious. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but if you ever need help, my door is open. Okay?”_ _ _ _

____Lancer grabs a sticky note and pen from his desk. Danny is silent, wary, as Lancer scribbles down two strings of numbers: his phone number and his address._ _ _ _

____“Here. If you need something, this is where to find me.”_ _ _ _

____When Danny reaches out to take the slip of paper, his hands are shaking._ _ _ _

____“Why are you helping me?” he whispers._ _ _ _

____“It’s like I said, you’re a k-”_ _ _ _

____“A kid, I know.” Danny snaps. He flushes, withdrawing just as quickly. “Sorry. But why are you really helping? I’m not exactly a town favorite.”_ _ _ _

____“I don’t know if I’d say that. I think you’re in more of a Spiderman situation.”_ _ _ _

____Danny’s lips quirk up. “Spiderman?”_ _ _ _

____Lancer returns the smile with a nod. “Spiderman. Sure, the Daily Bugle was always printing bullcrap about him, but the city of New York didn’t love him any less for it.”_ _ _ _

____Something unreadable passes over Danny’s face, too quickly for Lancer to sift through any of it. Finally, he lands on caution and the slightest inkling of trust._ _ _ _

____“Okay. I-thanks.”_ _ _ _

____Lancer nods again. Danny shoves the paper in his pocket, shifts the strap of his backpack over his shoulder._ _ _ _

____The kid disappears out the door with a late slip and with what Lancer hopes to be the knowledge that he has one more person in his corner._ _ _ _

____ _ _

____Danny is careful as he climbs out the window, listening for any sign of his parent’s breathing changing down the hall. He smiles a little smugly at the thought that he’s even more like Spiderman than Lancer thought: not only does he have most of the town’s media on his ass, he also shares the famous spidey sense._ _ _ _

____He supposes it’d be ghost sense, for him. Danny shakes his head, finally slipping out the window once he’s sure both parents are sleeping._ _ _ _

____He finished patrol hours ago, but after everything that happened today he needs some time to sort out his thoughts. He shudders fully into his ghost form, the dark town shifting into sharper definition and the squeal of a siren a few streets down becoming that much louder. Danny closes his eyes against the press of cool air on his cheeks, the tension that has been collecting in his shoulders all day releasing with one breath._ _ _ _

____This late, enough of the town’s light pollution has cleared that Danny can actually see a good amount of stars. He makes his way through town, pausing at the edge where neighborhoods turn into thickets of trees. The stars are especially easy to see from his seat at the nearest mountain. Really, it’s a hill, but it’s the best star gazing spot around. Danny leans back and stares, mapping out the constellations and murmuring their names under his breath as the back of his mind sifts through everything that happened._ _ _ _

____Lancer won’t tell anyone. Danny has learned that trusting people is usually stupid, especially when it comes to ghost stuff, but he’s surprised to find that he actually believes him. He doubts it’ll ever come to him actually asking the guy for help; Danny sticks by his earlier statement where that would be too dangerous._ _ _ _

____Sam and Tucker are helping him, but they’re fast and strong and smart. Not that Lancer isn’t smart, he just...doesn’t have the experience they do. By the time Danny truly realized just how dangerous his job was, Sam and Tucker were both in too deep, but they also knew what they were doing by then. Lancer doesn’t._ _ _ _

____It would be nice to have an adult, though. Jazz is the closest thing he’s got to that these days, and while he loves her more than anything, it just isn’t the same._ _ _ _

____He can’t pretend Jazz is untouchable, a perfect unstoppable force who always knows what she’s doing, who’s always right. He knows adults aren’t like that, either, but it’s easier to pretend. Jazz hides it from him, but he can see the way her hands shake when he comes back, can feel the soft buzz of ghostly power emanating from seven different weapons she’s hid around her room. He doesn’t want to be such a burden on her. Such a burden on everyone._ _ _ _

____Danny sits up. The entire flight back home, he thinks about the last time he was able to tell his parents everything. The last time he was able to let them take care of it._ _ _ _

____He can’t do that anymore. There’d be a stopping point eventually, he just didn’t expect it to come so early._ _ _ _

____The house is silent as he phases into his bedroom. His parents are still asleep, and he can hear Jazz’s soft music through her earbuds, the scratch of pen on paper. Danny turns back and drops to the floor with a little more force than necessary. He can hear Jazz’s soft breath of relief, the movement as she drops her paper and pen on the floor. He smiles, something warm trickling through his chest as her footsteps sound in the hallway._ _ _ _

____“Hey.” she murmurs, opening his door._ _ _ _

____Her eyes flick over him, and he waves her off._ _ _ _

____“I’m okay. Just needed to think. Sorry for keeping you up.” he says._ _ _ _

____She gives him a tired smile. “You didn’t keep me up.” she lies._ _ _ _

____After checking over his half-healed stitches and forcing a loud and overdramatic kiss to his cheek, Jazz disappears back into her room. Danny sticks his tongue out after her._ _ _ _

____He climbs into bed, reaching for the light when his eyes catch on the square of yellow stuck to his nightstand. Danny chews on his lip, reads over the numbers for what feels like the thousandth time._ _ _ _

____He should throw it away. He can’t bring another person into this mess._ _ _ _

____But Danny _is _just a kid. So he tucks the post it way back into the drawer of his nightstand. He swears to himself he won’t use it. Lancer doesn’t need to be bothered with this. But it’ll be there.___ _ _ _

______Just in case._ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!! sorry it took me a million years to update, hopefully if i continue this it won't take as long lmao anyways ty for all the sweet comments on the last chapter! they were v much appreciated and they're what made me finish this chapter :) thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jazz's heart skips a beat as she realizes what her mother was just talking about, and how Lancer looks like he’s just made up his mind about something. Panic arcs through Jazz, mouth falling open slightly. She slams it shut, and hopes the message _if you say anything I’ll kill you myself _comes across when she fixes her best glare on him.__  
>  _  
> _He wouldn’t. Would he? Jazz’s hand closes around the hard metal edge of her chair as she scans his face for any hint at what he’s planning, what he’s thinking. She finds nothing but hard surety. What if he thinks her parents are right? What if that surety is him deciding that the right move here would be to out Danny in front of everyone?__  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slaps roof of fic* this baby can fit so many headcanons in it also ik i posted like three days ago after not posting for four months but. it’s mental illness innit. anyways jasmine is getting some attention and love (angst) this and the next ch bc i love her

Danny slouches down in his car seat, shifting so he can lift his gangly legs onto Jazz’s dash. She frowns, and he gives her a cheeky grin. 

“You know you’re not required to be annoying, right?” she says. 

“That’s where you’re wrong. I signed a paper the second I learned how to walk.”

She rolls her eyes and turns the music up. Even though she can tell Danny is happy, relaxed, Jazz can still see the circles beneath his eyes and the way he keeps yawning against the window. 

“We can skip this thing if you want, Danny.” she says. 

“It’s okay. Mom will kill me if I skip for-what is this, the fourth time?”

“Seventh, actually. Still. It’s sort of stupid they make us go when we literally know more about ghosts than anyone else in this town. Except for them, I guess.”

“I probably know _more _than them at this point.” he grumbles.__

__Jazz laughs, leaning forward to check for oncoming traffic._ _

__“I seriously doubt that. It was you who asked me yesterday if you thought your ghost bones would work like glow sticks, wasn’t it?”_ _

__Danny’s face reddens. “What? My blood glows in that state, I was following a path of logic!”_ _

__Jazz hums, nodding her head. “Sure you were. Just make sure to pretend like you’re paying attention. Then maybe you can get away with skipping every other meeting, at least.”_ _

__The parking lot is fuller than usual, which makes sense considering the particularly nasty attack they’d had the day before. An attack that had left Danny with seven stitches, a solid concussion, and about two more helpings of trauma. Jazz tosses Danny an extra sweatshirt, which he takes with no small amount of grumbling._ _

__Jazz wouldn’t say she wants to follow in her parents footsteps, but she’s picked up a few habits from them. One of them being that of scientific observation to form a hypothesis._ _

__Her observations have led her to form the hypothesis that Danny’s ghost powers have an effect that carries over to his human form, as well. Sometimes it’s little things: his eyes will glint strangely if the light catches them right, his reflexes are just a little too good, and he gets cold more easily, hence the sweatshirt. Sometimes, however, it’s bigger things, like when his enhanced senses make everything too loud, too bright. It’s bigger things like his canines becoming sharp enough he covers his mouth when he smiles. It’s bigger things like spirits being drawn to him even in human form._ _

__He pretends it doesn’t bother him when they seek him out, whisper to him things only he can hear, show him things only he can see._ _

__Jazz knows he’s lying._ _

__So she brings another sweater, makes new playlists when the voices get too loud, keeps an extra first aid kit under her bed, in her glovebox, in her purse. For now, she hopes that it’s enough. The embarrassed smile Danny hides when he pulls the sweatshirt over his face makes her think it is._ _

__They step into the gymnasium, both relaxing when they realize that, although they’re a few minutes late, the meeting hasn’t started yet. The room is filled with chatter as people find their seats, and Jazz squints to see her parents standing on the stage, fully decked out with their ghost gear._ _

__“Looks like the ghost busters are in for the night.” Danny mutters._ _

__Jazz gives him a sympathetic look. “If you go out later I’ll see if I can send them in a different direction.”_ _

__Sam waves them over from where she and Tucker sit near the front, and they quickly duck through the crowd to claim seats besides the pair before they’re taken._ _

__“Full house tonight. Your parents should charge for this.” Tucker says._ _

__Danny laughs, and Jazz smiles. She waves to her parents, subtly making sure her mother spots Danny next to her._ _

__“How long do you think this will take?” he asks._ _

__Jazz shrugs, trying and failing to get comfortable on her metal folding chair._ _

__“I’m not sure. An hour, maybe? It might be longer, though.”_ _

__All four let out a long suffering sigh. Jazz knows Danny is only half the reason Sam and Tucker come to these things; these days, most people are forced by their families to show up if they don’t attend out of their own anxiety._ _

__Eventually, the gymnasium quiets down and everyone takes their seat. Maddie’s eyes scan the crowd, and she gives Jazz and Danny a smile when her gaze passes over them. The best they manage to return is a weak smile (Jazz) and something that looks more akin to a grimace of pain (Danny)._ _

__Their parents start off with the usual spiel, something that Jazz could recite in her sleep by now. After ten minutes of proper procedure if a ghost attack happens in your near vicinity (something that could easily be shortened to _run like hell), _her mother finally gets into the actual reason the meeting was called.___ _

____“I know the attack we had yesterday was...worse than the others. I know a lot of you are scared, but I promise that Jack and I are doing everything we can to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”_ _ _ _

____There is some grumbling from the crowd. Danny shifts uncomfortably in his seat._ _ _ _

____“You keep saying that, but it’s been months and nothing has changed!” someone shouts._ _ _ _

____A few people voice their agreement, and Maddie frowns._ _ _ _

____Jazz would never say it to her parents faces, but she has to admit that the people in the audience are right. Maddie and Jack are scientists, not soldiers. They’d know how to deal with a ghost better if it was strapped to a table, ready for dissecting. The only reason Amity Park is still on the map is Danny. Once the ghosts realized someone was there to stop them, their efforts grew less frequent, more cautious. Unfortunately, most people gave this credit to Maddie and Jack, due to their relentless insistence that Phantom was a nuisance and they were the real heroes here._ _ _ _

____To Jazz’s surprise, someone else in the gymnasium says what she’s thinking._ _ _ _

____“Shouldn’t you put more of your attention towards helping Phantom than trying to capture him? You’re wasting time trying to hurt the only person who’s ever been able to do anything for us. If you really cared you’d be focused more on hunting the ghosts that are actually dangerous!”_ _ _ _

____Jazz feels proud and just a little smug when, again, people voice their agreement. Danny reddens next to her, hunching his shoulders._ _ _ _

____“They like you.” Jazz murmurs, brushing her shoulder with his._ _ _ _

____“Spiderman.” he says._ _ _ _

____She raises an eyebrow. Before she can get anything out, her mother’s voice rings out, forcing the shouting to fall into silence._ _ _ _

____“You may not be able to see it like I do, because you’re not scientists. But trust me when I say that Phantom is possibly the most dangerous of them all! What you’re doing right now? That’s what he wants! He’s trying to win your trust over, trying to make all of you like him. I don’t know why, I just know it can’t be for a good reason. He’s good at faking, but he’s _not. Human. _He doesn’t have feelings, he doesn’t care about any of you. He’s a monster, just like the rest of them.”___ _ _ _

______Some quiet murmurs go through the crowd. Most of the faces look doubtful or outright annoyed, but there are a couple who nod in agreement. Next to her, Sam takes Danny’s hand._ _ _ _ _ _

______Jazz reaches to put a hand on her brother’s shoulder, pausing when the back of her neck prickles with goosebumps. She narrows her eyes, turning in her seat. She’s unsurprised to find out that she was right-someone _is _watching her-but she is surprised to find out who.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Lancer looks like he wants to say something; whether it’s something he wants to say to Jazz specifically, she doesn’t know. She fidgets under his stare, startled by the strange fierceness in his eyes, the set of his jaw. Her heart skips a beat as she realizes what her mother was just talking about, and how Lancer looks like he’s just made up his mind about something. Panic arcs through Jazz, mouth falling open slightly. She slams it shut, and hopes the message _if you say anything I’ll kill you myself _comes across when she fixes her best glare on him.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He wouldn’t. Would he? Jazz’s hand closes around the hard metal edge of her chair as she scans his face for any hint at what he’s planning, what he’s thinking. She finds nothing but hard surety. What if he thinks her parents are right? What if that surety is him deciding that the right move here would be to out Danny in front of everyone?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________No. They wouldn’t believe him. And if they somehow did, if they heard him out, Jazz would have Danny far away from them all by then._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Lancer stands, and for a second Jazz has the intense urge to-talk to him? drag him out of the gymnasium? do _something- _when Lancer opens his mouth.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Maddie, what if your scientific approach is actually restricting you in this case? What if Phantom is an outlier? Sure, the ghosts we’ve seen so far have behaved in the way you’ve described, but Phantom has been in this town for months and he’s never hurt anybody. It seems his only purpose is to keep everyone safe.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz’s mouth falls open again, but this time she doesn’t bother shutting it. Her gaze snaps to Danny, who is looking at Lancer with a similar expression on his face. His eyes are glittering with disbelief._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Hesitantly, Jazz glances to her mother. She looks annoyed, and Jazz’s fingers close around the material of her jeans as she realizes Lancer’s words most likely went in one ear and out the other. Before Maddie can argue, however, the lights flicker._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The back of Jazz’s neck stings harder this time, and goosebumps race up her arms. She exhales, slowly, unsurprised to find her breath clouding the air in front of her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Great timing.” Danny grumbles beside her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________There is some uneasy murmuring through the crowd, and a few people stand and make their way outside the building, which Jazz figures is one of the safer options at this point._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The lights give out all at once, forcing the room into darkness. There are a few screams, but there are also several annoyed groans, as this isn’t exactly the first time anybody in the room has dealt with this._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz reaches towards her back pocket, where she’s hidden a more compact version of one of her parents many weapons._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Bathroom?” she whispers._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Her vision has already greatly adjusted to the dark, sending the three faces next to her into green tinged definition. All three nod. Danny takes Tucker and Sam’s wrists, guiding them through the pitch black of the room. Their retreat is muffled by the growing panic around them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________A window in the back shatters, and the shakily maintained calm of the room goes along with it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Come on!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________They pick up the pace, sprinting past the crowd of people and ducking into the bathroom. There’s a burst of green light, and Danny sprints right back out into the gym._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Jazz?” Sam says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz glances up, puffing a strand of hair out of her eyes as she loads her gun._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Yeah?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Oh. I wasn’t sure if you were here. I can’t see anything.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz frowns. “Really? I thought your eyes would’ve adjusted by now. Here.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She walks closer, pressing her phone into Sam’s hand and turning the flashlight on. Tucker winces at the sudden illumination, but fumbles for his phone and does the same._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I’m going to help Danny. You two evacuate the building, okay?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Tucker and Sam nod, and the three slip back out into the gymnasium._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Thankfully, it seems most people had the presence of mind to escape before things got really messy. Sam and Tucker go after the stragglers, and Jazz sprints towards the back of the gymnasium where Danny is currently ducking punches from a particularly nasty looking ghost. She’s never seen it before; he’s not one of their regulars._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz vaults over a stack of metal chairs and aims her gun, landing a solid shot to the ghost’s back. It screams, and she resists the urge to cover her ears. Danny winces, but still manages to dodge two punches and land one of his own._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“We need to finish this up quick! Mo-Maddie and Jack went back behind the stage to grab something.” Danny says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Catch.” Jazz calls._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________His arm snaps out to catch the thermos, and Jazz turns and jogs back towards the stage. She scans the dim room, taking some relief in the fact that it looks like Sam and Tucker managed to get everyone out._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz ducks into the back, where her parents are currently fiddling with some machine._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“What are you doing?” she says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Jazz?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________A flashlight is turned in her direction, and she winces._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Ow.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Sorry, honey. Come help us with this, would you?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz eyes the machine carefully, taking in the thick rope draped over the top and pooling at the bottom._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Is that a net?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Maddie nods, sighing. She steps back with a hand on her hip._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“It’s a little juvenile, I’ll admit. But sometimes going back to the basics can be helpful.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I wouldn’t say it’s juvenile.” Jack frowns._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Why is it so big?” Jazz says, taking a step forward to eye the rope._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jack finishes arming the device, and pulls it towards the door._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“We’re hoping that with Phantom distracted with whatever ghost he’s fighting, we’ll be able to catch not only him, but who he’s fighting as well.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“But he’ll just be able to phase through it.” Jazz says doubtfully._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jack grins proudly. “Not this one.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Before Jazz can ask them to explain, Maddie is grabbing the device and wheeling it out the door. Jazz follows, praying that Danny has taken the fight elsewhere, or, better, finished it altogether._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________She grimaces when she finds the fight to still be in full force, a good portion of the gymnasium now destroyed. Jazz squints at Danny, but he’s distracted by the ghost in front of him, and doesn’t seem to notice the threat behind him. She curls her hands into fists until her nails sting her palms, looking back as Jack centers the net gun on the two ghosts. Her gaze snaps between the two, and she wills Danny to turn, to notice what’s behind him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jazz’s heart crawls up her throat as she watches her mother switch a lever. Her instincts scream at her, at each other, to keep her brother safe, to not get in the way._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________They’re going to _kill _her for this.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Phantom! Look out!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Danny’s head snaps in her direction, eyes widening as they land on the net gun. He mouths something-a curse, if she’d have to guess-and narrowly ducks as the thick rope slams into the wall behind him. Unfortunately, the ghost caught the heads up too and avoids the net without much trouble._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jazz only catches a glimpse of the fury on her parents faces before she turns and sprints in Danny’s direction. He’s looking noticeably worse than before-green drips from his nose and ears, and he’s moving in a way that’s stilted and awkward. Jazz grits her teeth and grabs for her gun again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________It’s almost out of juice: this shot will have to count._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jazz stops for a precious three seconds, allowing herself to watch the fight, the way their enemy moves. Its skin is strange-rocky and rough. She figures that’s why her earlier shots hadn’t done much damage. It opens its mouth to scream, something haunting and painful all at once that makes her want to curl up and hide._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________The ectoplasm dripping from Danny’s ears makes more sense now. If anything, the scream seems to have an even worse effect on him than it does on her; at the sound, Danny cries out in pain, opening himself up to a blow to the stomach. He slams against the wall, foregoing protecting himself from the damage in favor of keeping his hands clamped over his ears. He whimpers and curls over his abdomen. Anger burns in Jazz’s chest. Danny coughs from his position at the base of the wall, forcing himself back up again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Danny!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jazz’s heart breaks a little at the relief that flickers over Danny’s face. It takes him a moment, but he manages to get all the way up, clearly waiting for instructions. Jazz gives him a grateful smile._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“Make it angry!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Danny doesn’t question her, instead quickening his pace to duck behind the ghost and land several quick jabs to its back. It roars, swatting at him, but he’s too quick. It opens his mouth, and Jazz braces herself while Danny darts away, hands moving to cover his ears._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________The scream isn’t as bad as Danny’s, but it’s a close second. Jazz forces her hands to steady as she raises her gun and shoots._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Her shot goes right through the ghost’s open mouth and through the back of its neck. There’s a second of stillness, where the air seems to crystallize around her. Then, a soft sigh as bone splits and the ghost’s body seems to dissipate. Jazz steps back, catching a tired face for a split second before the room sinks into darkness._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She takes a breath of relief, letting her head fall to her chest. The sudden silence in the room is almost as deafening as the screaming a moment before. Slowly, she raises her head: first to look for Danny, and then her parents. Danny is nowhere to be found, but she catches the door to the gymnasium slamming shut and a flash of purple-Sam and Tucker. Hopefully they’ll find him and make sure he’s okay._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Jazz takes in a deep breath and slowly turns to look at her parents._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________They don’t look happy._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Something tightens in Jazz’s chest. She’s always been vocal about her support of Phantom, even to her parents, but this is an entirely different level of teenage rebellion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________She doesn’t know when, but catching Phantom became one of her parents top priorities, especially for her mother. Jazz knows what her parents would do to him if they caught him. She’s seen the tools in the laboratory they keep hidden even from their children, tools that can only be meant for cutting and separating and _hurting. _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________The scariest part is that Jazz isn’t sure if they’d stop even if they knew Danny was their son._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Jazz decides to follow in her brother’s footsteps and turns to run out of the gymnasium. She lies, telling herself it’s only to make sure Danny’s okay, and crushes the part of her that is hurt and terrified when her parents don’t call after her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Danny lands roughly in front of the school, falling to his knees and then his hands as his chest vibrates violently and sends the taste of blood up the back of his throat. He struggles to hold on, but the world flips and then the pain triples as his ghost form falls away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Shit.” he coughs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Blood drips down his chin, and for a moment he almost feels bad for the ghosts he’s used his wail on._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Almost._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Sam and Tucker sprint out of the gymnasium, glancing behind them before helping him up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“You look great.” Tucker pants as he drags Danny up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Fuck off.” he grumbles._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Sam lets out a breathless laugh as she takes his other arm, and the three make their way to a slightly more secluded spot at the other end of the building where trees and A.C. units hide them from anybody that’s still stupid enough to be wandering around._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Danny sits, closing and opening his eyes in an attempt to get the world to stop spinning. Beside him, Tucker is rooting through a bag and Sam is tapping at her phone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Where’s Jazz?” he asks roughly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Sam glances up. “I just texted her to tell her where we are. She’ll probably be here in a second.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“That was badass the way she took down that ghost.” Tucker says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Sam nods in agreement. “You might be out of a job, Phantom.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Danny smiles, stopping when it pulls at the lip he hadn’t realized was split. “I’m not totally against that. I could use a vacation.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Footsteps pound from their right, and Jazz ducks into the little hiding spot they’ve made. She drops to her knees next to Danny, and he resists the urge to fidget under her attention as she looks over his injuries._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Are you okay?” she says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________The moonlight coming through the trees catches her face and makes her cheeks glitter. Danny hesitates, looking more closely at his sister._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“Are _you?” _he says.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________She looks up, brow furrowed in confusion. Jazz follows his gaze to her cheeks, lifting a hand to brush her fingers against the skin. They come away wet, and she seems surprised, even as more tears fall from her lashes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“I-yeah, I’m fine.” Jazz shakes her head, frowning._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“You sure? Did you get hurt?” Sam says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“I’m fine.” Jazz says more firmly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Danny wants to press, realizing the gravity of what Jazz had done back in the gym, but his head is pounding too loud and he has to close his eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“You probably have another concussion.” Jazz says, lowering her voice._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Seriously? You’d think I would’ve developed an immunity to them by now.” Danny whines._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Tucker laughs. “I don’t think that’s how they work, man.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“It definitely isn’t.” Sam says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“You’re in pretty bad shape, Danny. You don’t need stitches, but in order to keep you from making your head worse I think you’ll need to go ghost to let your body heal faster.” Jazz says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________That makes him open his eyes. “Here? For how long?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“I’m not sure. A few hours, at least.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Danny groans. “I don’t want to sit here that long.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Me neither. It definitely wouldn’t be helping your healing process.” Jazz says dryly. “I think...I think I know where you can go.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“If you’re thinking one of our places, that won’t work. Our parents are already on edge because of how long we’ve been out.” Sam says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Jazz says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Then what-?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Something clicks in Danny’s head. “No way.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“He hasn’t said anything yet, Danny, and you told me he gave you his address.” Jazz argues._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Are you guys talking about Lancer?” Tucker says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Sam eyes them both, chewing on her lip. “I mean...it’s not the worst idea. None of our houses will work, and Jazz tends to know what she’s talking about, which means it’s important that Danny has somewhere safe to go rest up.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Plus, he totally was on your side earlier when your mom said-well, all that. And Jazz is usually right, which means Lancer is your best bet right now.” Tucker adds._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Danny opens his mouth to protest, but Jazz cuts him off before he’s able to. He frowns at his sister. She gives him a look, one that should be less effective with tear streaks down her cheeks but somehow isn’t._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Please, Danny. If you stay in human form too long, I’m afraid you’ll do permanent damage. This kind of thing usually warrants a trip to the E.R.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“No h-”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Hospitals, I know.” she finishes. “This is the next best thing.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“So ten stitches and I’m good to go but someone screams a little too loud and I’m dying?” Danny says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He knows that’s not the case. Ghostly wails are more dangerous than he’s letting on, but he can’t find the energy to be rational when all he wants to do is go home and sleep in his own bed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Please, Danny.” Jazz says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Danny stares at his sister for a long time. Her hair has fallen out of its ponytail, and strands of it stick to her damp cheeks. He remembers the look on his parents faces when she warned him of their weapon._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Okay.” he murmurs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Sam and Tucker both smile at him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________After helping Danny to his feet again, they walk to the parking lot, careful to avoid other people. Particularly Danny’s parents. Luckily, the parking lot is completely empty when they climb into Tucker’s car. Jazz had hesitantly admitted it’d be better if they didn’t take her car, which she suspects their parents had put a tracker in. Danny says nothing, but he doubts she’s wrong. Sam climbs into shotgun and puts on something soft, which Danny is grateful for when it proves to soothe the ringing in his ears a little._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He presses his forehead to the cool window as Tucker drives through town, slowing over the speed bumps when they get to Lancer’s neighborhood. It wasn’t hard to find; if Danny had more energy he’d be embarrassed at the fact that he’d accidentally memorized the address._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________The closer they get to Lancer’s house, the more Danny’s stomach tightens. It’s only been a couple days since Lancer made the offer. Danny promised himself that he wouldn’t do this, wouldn’t bring another person into this mess. He tightens his fingers around the hem of his shirt._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Hey. It’ll be okay.” Jazz murmurs beside him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________She offers him a smile, one that’s a little too tired and small._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Danny feels like a little kid when he asks, “Will you come in with me?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Jazz hesitates, clearly thinking of their parents. Although Danny would feel much more comfortable with Jazz there, his reasons go beyond not wanting to sit alone in awkward silence with Lancer for several hours. Jazz likes to put up a front, especially when Danny is hurt, but he knows she’s about as shaken as he is right now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Yeah, I’ll stay with you.” she says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Tucker pulls the car to a stop in front of Lancer’s house, peering through the window at the square building. There are some flowers up front, and Danny doesn’t know if it’s relief or dread pooling in his chest when he makes out light shining through the windows._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Call if you need anything, okay?” Sam says, turning to look at them both. “If your parents call we’ll tell them you’re both with us.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Tucker nods, meeting Danny’s eyes in the mirror._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“And while you’re there, see if you can find the answers to the test we have next Monday.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________The mood lightens considerably, and Jazz rolls her eyes but her smile is less forced._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Nice try.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________She gets out of the car and offers a hand to Danny._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Don’t worry, Tucker. I’ll look for you.” Danny says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Jazz helps him out of the car, and he has to lean on her more than he would like to stay upright._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Sam and Tucker both offer reassuring smiles, and the engine idles as they wait to make sure Lancer will actually let the two of them inside._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Danny feels a little like he might throw up. He wonders how exactly this came to be; not only is he half ghost fighting other ghosts in a town that’s basically haunted at this point, but his parents are hunting him and his only refuge is his English teacher’s house._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Maybe we could find a really cozy dumpster somewhere.” he says._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Jazz gives him a dry look and steps forward to ring the doorbell._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________They wait a few seconds, and Danny’s heart beat somehow grows louder than the ringing in his ears._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Footsteps sound from inside the house, and the door swings open. Lancer is dressed in jeans and a t-shirt-same as what he was wearing during the meeting. His mouth opens slightly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Hey, Mr. Lancer. Long time no see.” Danny says weakly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter is already half way written so maybe i will be able to post normally like a normal person?? we shall see :) ty for reading!!

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! comments and kudos are always appreciated <3


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